Miami’s Cafecito Culture Life and what makes us unique in the world - too bad it is Cafecito Cancelled Culture here in Palmetto Bay.

Artists can make their point through art, but it has to reach an audience that appreciates and understands.

Does anyone else see the irony here?

Let me highlight it for those that have missed recent controversies:

Local officials will allow it to be displayed on the wall as an art exhibit, but they don’t want you to enjoy it live here in Palmetto Bay. El Cafecito Culture – cancelled in Palmetto Bay.

“Village of Palmetto Bay
Don't Miss "El Cafecito Culture" By Joe Rodriguez, Saturday, March 19th at 6:30 pm at the Perrine Community House.”

Let’s hope that this artist brought some culture to Palmetto Bay officials and convinced them to embrace, rather than reject, the unique Miami Culture.

“I invite you to step into the passion I have for my culture, and through my art, take with you slices of Miami’s Cafecito Culture Life and what makes us unique in the world!

I’m Joe Rodriquez, I’m part of el Cafecito Culture. Sabor mi gente!”

I wonder if any of the Palmetto Bay officials took the time to appreciate and, if so, I hope there was an awakening. See post of November 4, 2021, We should embrace Ventanitas here in Palmetto Bay. It's a Miami thing, another way for the community to gather, asking Why can't we embrace La "Ventanitas" here in Palmetto Bay? 

But let's fact it, this art exhibit proved a point (as Art often does), when it comes to recognizing the meaning of art, well, our current mayor and council are clearly philistines. This significance of this exhibit clearly went over their heads as while they think it was a distraction from their building code banishment of Miami’s Cafecito Culture Life, so many of us see this exhibit for what it is. 

What compounds this is the fact that is is at least the second example in the last year – see a prior post of 9/30/2021: "Missed message": Ignoring Cortada’s message as the current mayor once again misses the importance of going native – a Wildflower Meadow could have been planted, but we get – instead - another wasteful grass lawn.

Art - can be a strong communication medium for those who care to listen. And while the current mayor and council can keep deflecting and denying, but facts are facts. See: October 26, 2021, Facts are important. Claims from Palmetto Bay elected officials and staff, stating that Ventanitas are not “banned”, do not appear to line up with the experience of Vicky’s Bakery, the updated ordinance or staff presentation at the hearing. Read/see for yourself.

Enough said, however, nice exhibit "El Cafecito Culture" by Joe Rodriguez, it spoke loudly.  Well played.

We should embrace Ventanitas here in Palmetto Bay. It's a Miami thing, another way for the community to gather.

Why can't we embrace La "Ventanitas" here in Palmetto Bay? 

FACT: Vicky's Bakery - a very popular business with 16 (or more) locations in South Florida decided to invest in Palmetto Bay. They have a business model (a very successful model) that includes Miami style ventanitas.  Vicky's tried and was denied their request to properly equip their facility with one. Palmetto Bay officials nixed the request and Vicky's ended up with a counter inside the bakery. This is not the Miami-style traditional walk-up "ventanita" that Miamians have come to know and South Florida enjoy. CLICK HERE to read prior related posts, background on the Ventanitas issue here in Palmetto Bay.

Many have opined privately that this is a  tell-tale sign of Palmetto Bay's political insensitivity towards cultural diversity. 

We rode bikes to the Gables over the weekend for some sightseeing. We passed the Vickey's Bakery at 245 University Drive - just a mere block away from all the single family homes in the area (between Le Jeune and Salzedo Streets). Coral Gables is known as a municipality with strict zoning, yet the Gables allows Vicky's Bakery to have a ventanita - well within earshot of residential - both single family and multi-unit areas.

What is the problem here? Who is threatened by this? This looks like a great community gathering place where people can meet and discuss the issues of the day - whether it is a bridge, who is going to save 22 acres of sensitive pineland, traffic, recent trends toward increases in property taxes and fees on electrical service, or what is killing the animals in the park areas. 

Perhaps that is the problem - keep people separate, not talking about what is really going on under this current administration here in Palmetto Bay. 

Distractions. Palmetto Bay needs to get back to being business and community friendly. Let's work to bring the community together over blowing dog whistles and needlessly dividing our community.

Just my humble opinion,

Eugene Flinn

Facts are important. Claims from Palmetto Bay elected officials and staff, stating that Ventanitas are not “banned”, do not appear to line up with the experience of Vicky’s Bakery, the updated ordinance or staff presentation at the hearing. Read/see for yourself.

Credibility is important. Facts are facts. Are the mayor and the council unaware as to what they voted on or are they desperately dog paddling for air to escape what they have done?

What am I talking about? Well, it has been the talk of Miami, starting with the article in the Miami Herald - ‘Either stupidity or racism’: Is Palmetto Bay really trying to ban Cuban ventanitas? By Samantha J. Gross and Carlos Frias, 10/22/2021: Miami Herald subscribers can read more at: https://www.miamiherald.com/miami-com/restaurants/article255188817.html#storylink=cpy

The facts are telling.  The herald quotes a staffer who denies that Ventanitas are banned alleging that:

“They have never been prohibited, and they are not prohibited now,” Community and Economic Development Director Maria Pineda told the Miami Herald. “We just have to take a look at parameters, just like we look at parameters for outdoor seating.” Ventanitas can be pivotal to Latin bakeries’ success.

Hold on there – is this true? So then does Vicky’s Bakery have a Ventanita? The Herald reporters checked in with Vicky Bakery CEO Pedro Cao who stated that:

Vicky Bakery had to work around a Palmetto Bay rule that didn’t allow for a walk-up window when it opened its village store two years ago. The owners had to build a window 2 feet inside the building, behind double doors, hurting visibility from the street, Cao said. (bold emphasis added)

There are many who would argue that a window placed 2 feet inside the building is NOT a Ventanita.

Is a Ventanita important?

“About 25-30% of a bakery’s business comes from the walk-up window, said Vicky Bakery CEO Pedro Cao, who has a franchise in Palmetto Bay. Often the window is a major draw for people driving by who see it and decide to pop in for a quick coffee or pastry. “

So who is reporting or telling the truth? What was said at the meeting? What was presented in writing?

It appears that their purpose was very specific. It says that all sales shall be inside the establishment and walk up sales windows shall not be permitted. It is the use or consumption of merchandise that shall not be permitted except by conditional use approval. So this looks to be very clear that in the B 1 limited business district, the walk up windows are specifically banned.

A conditional use application would not apply as “…walk up sales windows shall not be permitted.” It does NOT say that walk up windows require conditional use approval. Nope  - “not permitted.”

Page 35 from the agenda is pictured at the bottom wiht an excerpt posted to the right. A 21 second video clip of the staff report is embedded below. Please watch the excerpt. The 21 seconds are VERY important. What I hear is that staff is clearly stating that walk up windows are banned consistent with council request. Again, walk up window, as opposed to drive through windows. Please listen for yourself.

 

If not the B-1 zoning district, then how about the B-2 zoning District? B2 also includes a ban as walk up windows are not listed uses (items 1-14 additional to those uses permitted in the B1 district). Walk up windows are not listed under accessory uses or conditional uses (limited to items 1-4). "Prohibited uses include all uses that are not specifically listed in the section." I don’t see how or where Ventanitas are permitted in either of these zoning districts.

Facts are facts. What did the ordinance say? Here is the applicable page from the zoning hearing where this ordinance was approved on second (and final) reading. It was approved 5 – 0. It will be important to review the final ordinance, signed into law by the mayor and clerk as well as the meeting minutes. You can be sure that all these documents will be reviewed by the public with a very detailed fine tooth comb.

For now, I see a ban, no chance for a conditional use, and a need to totally revise this inartfully prepared ordinance. I see that Vicky’s Bakery in fact does NOT have a Ventanita in direct contradiction of the statements made to the Miami Herald Reporters.

Everyone is watching this current mayor and council. We will separate fact from fictional spin. This is government and must be held to the standard required in the Village Charter. See September 23, 2020, Palmetto Bay Charter - Citizens' Bill of Rights - requires Truth in Government by our elected officials and employees.

Stay tuned.